Methods for displaying feedback indicators associated with battery and/or signal strength via a keypad

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for determining a condition of an electronic lock that may include a keypad, determining at least one of a plurality of keys of the keypad to illuminate based on the condition, and illuminating at least one of the keys on the keypad to indicate the condition and/or provide an audible feedback.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, comprising:
 determining at least one of a state of charge of a battery and a signal strength of a wireless connection of an electronic lock including a keypad; 
 determining one of a plurality of keys of the keypad to illuminate based on at least one of the state of charge and the signal strength; and 
 illuminating the ono key on the keypad to indicate at least one of the state of charge and the signal strength, wherein a numeric value on the one key corresponds to one of the state of charge and the signal strength. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising
 illuminating the one key with a light source positioned behind the one key. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the state of charge comprises a percentage of battery life, and wherein determining the one key to illuminate is further based on a tens digit of the percentage of battery life. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 illuminating the one key in an indicative color that corresponds to one of the relative state of charge and the relative signal strength. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the indicative color includes one of a first color, a second color, and a third color, wherein the first color corresponds to of the state of charge and the signal strength being less than a first threshold, the second color corresponds to one of the state of charge and the signal strength being less than a second threshold and greater than or equal to the first threshold, and the third color corresponds to one of the state of charge and the signal strength being greater than or equal to the second threshold. 
     
     
       6. A method, comprising:
 determining a value of at least one of a state of charge of a battery and a signal strength of a wireless connection of an electronic lock including a keypad having a plurality of keys; 
 selecting at least one of the plurality of keys to illuminate based on a location of the key within the keypad and as a function of the determined value of the at least one of the state of charge of the battery and the signal strength of the wireless connection; and 
 illuminating the selected at least one of the plurality of keys. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of keys is arranged on the keypad as a function of a numeric value of the key and further comprising illuminating the selected at least one of the plurality of keys based on the numeric value thereof. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the slate of charge of the battery includes a percentage of battery life, and wherein the illuminating the selected at least one of the plurality of keys includes illuminating the selected at least one of the plurality of keys based on a tens digit of the percentage of battery life and a numeric value of the selected at least one of the plurality of keys. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the illuminating the selected at least one of the plurality of keys includes illuminating the selected at least one of the plurality of keys based on one of the relative state of charge of the battery and the relative signal strength of the wireless connection. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the illuminating the selected at least one of the plurality of keys includes illuminating one of a plurality of rows of the keys and a plurality of columns of the keys. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of tows or each of the plurality of columns corresponds to a different one of a plurality of thresholds relative to one of the state of charge of the battery and the relative signal strength of the wireless connection. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the illuminating one of the plurality of rows of the keys and the plurality of columns of the keys comprises illuminating in an indicative color that corresponds to one of the state of charge of the battery and the relative strength of the wireless connection. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the illuminating the selected at least one of the plurality of keys includes illuminating the selected at least one of the plurality of keys in an indicative color that corresponds to one of the state of charge of the battery and the relative signal strength of the wireless connection. 
     
     
       14. An electronic lock, comprising:
 a keypad including a plurality of keys and a light source configured to illuminate at least one of the plurality of keys; and 
 a controller operably connected to the keypad, wherein the controller is configured to determine at least one of a state of charge of a battery and a signal strength of a wireless connection, of the electronic lock, and to control operation of the light source based on the determined state of charge of the battery or the signal strength of the wireless connection to thereby illuminate the at least one of the plurality of keys to provide an indication corresponding to the state of charge of the battery or the signal strength of the wireless connection. 
 
     
     
       15. The electronic lock of  claim 14 , wherein the controller is further configured to adjust at least one of a color and a luminous intensity of the light source. 
     
     
       16. The electronic lock of  claim 14 , further comprising an audible feedback emitter device configured to emit audible feedback, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the audible feedback based on the determined state of charge of the battery or the signal strength of the wireless connection. 
     
     
       17. The electronic lock of  claim 16 , wherein the audible feedback emitter device includes at least one of an audible tone emitter and a voice emulator. 
     
     
       18. The electronic lock of  claim 14 , wherein the state of charge of the battery comprises a percentage of battery life, and wherein the determined state of charge of the battery is further based on a tons digit of the percentage of battery life. 
     
     
       19. The electronic lock of  claim 14 , wherein the controlled operation of the light source comprises illumination of at least one of the plurality of keys in an indicative color that corresponds to one of the determined state of charge of the battery and the signal strength of the wireless connection. 
     
     
       20. The electronic lock of  claim 19 , wherein the indicative color includes one of a first color, a second color, and a third color, wherein the first color corresponds to one of the determined state of charge of the battery and the signal strength of the wireless connection being less than a first threshold, the second color corresponds to one of the determined state of charge of the battery and the signal strength of the wireless connection being less than a second threshold and greater than or equal to the first threshold, and the third color corresponds to one of the determined state of charge of the battery and the signal strength of the wireless connection being greater than or canal to the second threshold.